| Methods |
Randomisation: method not stated, "...prospective, double‐blind study and randomised...".
Blinding: stated to be "double‐blind".
Criteria for rescue: not stated. |
| Participants |
Inclusions: 115 healthy women, 2 to 6 cm dilatation requesting regional.
Exclusions: not stated.
2 lost to CTG analysis. |
| Interventions |
Epidural (n = 53): all women received initial bolus 20 mL bupivacaine 0.1% + fentanyl 40 µg.
CSE: all women received intrathecal bupivacaine 2.5 mg + fentanyl 5 µg.
Subsequent management: not stated. |
| Outcomes |
Maternal: mode of delivery (no results stated).
Fetal: umbilical artery pH and base excess; Apgars at 1 and 5 min; CTG abnormalities. |
| Notes |
UK. Abstract only. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Stated, "double blind study and randomised", no other information. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not stated. |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Stated to be double‐blind. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
2 lost to CTG analysis. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
Reporting of detail of outcomes is unclear. |
| Other bias |
Low risk |
No other bias evident. |
